It’s easy to get focused on growth and to get captivated by the idea that if you are better, whether it be mentally, physically, or financially, that your family will also be better. From a distance, that holds truth but it’s so easy for us to become blinded by the increments of success and growth that we forget about our family in the process. If all you ever do is chase money because you think it will eliminate the stress from your family, when are taking time to chase your family? We cannot assume that because they are our family that they are stuck with us. We are designed to be in relationship with them and to continually grow in relationship with them. Money is great and it certainly alleviates stress. Being mentally, spiritually, and emotionally sound is liberating. Being physically fit and healthy is empowering. These are all great things but none of them are more valuable than your time. You trade your time for each of these. Time is your most valuable commodity. Giving your stability, your strength, or your riches to your family will always be less valuable than giving your time to your family.
It’s a balancing act that requires wisdom and guidance. Don’t think you can disconnect from your family for a season to obtain something that is far less valuable to your wife and kids. Strive for wealth, health, and well-being because of your family, but never do it at their expense by robbing them of your time.
Don’t misinterpret what I am saying. I am not suggesting you do not pursue wealth, health, knowledge, and growth. You should be doing those things. However, if you have to miss all of your kid’s games to make that extra sale, you’ve created a deficit. If you’ve become so obsessed with your fitness that your son doesn’t have a dad to play ball with, have you really made gains? Your growth ought to be for your family and that will be evident when you include your family in the process. That does not mean your kids have to go to the gym with you. It might just mean that you are physically active with them. They do not have to study every topic you study but you can spark a conversation with them revolving around the interesting things you’re learning. There is a balance and strategy to how you invest your time. Your family is not an excuse, they are the reason. Just be careful not to get so carried away in your personal development that you forget the reason you are striving to grow.
There will come a day when your time will be nearly expired. In that moment, your kids won’t care about how smart you are, or about how much money you’ll leave to them. Those elements of your existence will be forgotten as they crave the one thing that matters most to them, your time.